 The title of our sermon this morning is a slave called and separated a slave called and separated Romans chapter 1 verses 1 through 7 What is our blessing? It's our privilege once again our joy to return to this towering letter of the Apostle Paul to the Romans Having completed last week a general introduction to the letter as well as completing a general Introduction to the man who wrote the letter we move on now this morning in our consideration of Paul's greeting contained in verses 1 through 7 now there are basically Three sections to the opening of this letter Paul's greeting Paul's purpose and Paul's premise Paul's greeting is found in verses 1 through 7 Paul's purpose we'll learn about in verses 8 through 15 and then Paul's premise is stated in verses 16 through 17 That short outline in the opening of this letter will set us up Well to then go through the body of the letter beginning at the end of the chapter now our plan With the Lord's help with the Lord's blessing Will be to work slowly through these opening three sections in order to provide a good foundation for understanding of the rest of The letter now it's gonna appear this morning as though we're going to walk exceedingly slow, but it won't always be exceedingly slow We're gonna take our time initially. We'll move along a little faster as time goes on as time permits But we're not in any big hurry. Are we this is not a sprint? This is certainly going to be a marathon and we're gonna enjoy every mile of it We're gonna work slowly through these opening sections if you can lay hold of the opening if you can grasp the opening to Paul's letter Then you'll have a solid foundation For apprehending then the book as a whole this opening becomes exceedingly important to that purpose As we work through the opening of this letter including Paul's greeting Paul's purpose and Paul's premise We're gonna learn a lot about the letter itself from start to finish. Okay, we're gonna learn about The author more we're gonna learn more about Paul will learn more about the recipients of the letter The date the occasion of the letter will learn about the purpose of the letter the structure of the letter We're gonna learn about the primary theme of the letter We're gonna learn about what moved the apostle Paul to write a letter like this We're gonna learn much about what what's on Paul's heart as he writes to the saints who are in Rome In other words this opening has much here for us to consider much for us to learn that will prepare us well For the rest of the letter the body of the letter which is to come Now in addition to that however We're gonna be learning much about ourselves From the opening of this letter not just about Paul not just about the purpose or the occasion or the theme of this letter We're also gonna learn about ourselves as you would expect and the faith that we profess This opening lays a good foundation for that theological study which comes after even the very opening of this letter Challenges what most Christians believe and think about the Christian life What most Christians professing Christians today presume or assert about the Christian life? How is it that you think about the Christian life? When you think about the Christian life, what is the character of the life that you are? Considering what's the nature of the Christian life? What do you believe about the Christian life? How does Paul in his opening here describe the Christian life? How are we to understand it? How are we to see it more importantly? How are we to live the Christian life and worship the Lord Jesus Christ in it and through it? All of that all of that is going to come in some measure through a slow and careful and methodical exposition of the opening section of this letter in other words Even the introduction is given by inspiration of God and even the introduction is Profitable for doctrine profitable for reproof for correction for instruction of in righteousness that the the man of God may be complete Thoroughly equipped for every good work This is not merely Information given at the outset. It's not a simple greeting only there's much more here than that This is information information that is necessary for transformation Now I'm going to say it again as I did last week this letter will change your life This letter will change your life more specifically God by his spirit will change your life through the means of this letter And so we don't want to rob ourselves of any blessing associated with Rushing through the introduction of this letter. We want to take our time and work through the introduction now with that said We begin learning first about the servant in this introduction and then later about his Subject first about the servant then about his subject in customary fashion Paul begins this epistle to the Romans by Introducing himself as the author of our letter in verse one Paul a bond servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God Now we know That from the time of his conversion on the road to Damascus to this point. We know that Paul has never been to Rome Paul has never visited the church there. He knows a couple of Christians from Rome But the majority of Christians in Rome he himself has never met He doesn't know him them. They don't know him in verse 13. Paul says drop down to verse 13 Paul says I've often planned to come to you, but I've been hindered until now He hasn't yet been to Rome. We also know We also know that no other apostle has served in Rome to plant and establish the church there And that certainly includes the apostle Peter in chapter 15. If you flip over to chapter 15 in Chapter 15 verse 20 Paul says there That I've made it my aim Chapter 15 verse 20 to preach the gospel not where Christ was named Lest I should build on another man's foundation But verse 21 as it is written to whom he was not announced They shall see and to those who have not heard shall understand for this reason dropped on to verse 22 I have been much hindered from coming to you So we know that Paul has not been to Rome and we know that no other Apostle has been to Rome in other words. It was Paul's practice Not to go into areas where another apostle apostle had begun to work for the gospel and then to build on that Apostles work Paul's practice rather was to go to places where no apostle had been and To work there to establish believers in the faith So the fact here that Paul has decided has desired to go to Rome is planning to go to Rome Tells us that the apostle Paul saw the church at Rome as a place that needed to be established in the faith It was a place where no apostle had yet been right The people a people were there believers were there that still needed Apostolic preaching apostolic teaching chapter 1 look at verse 11 Paul says in chapter 1 verse 11 I long to see you that I may impart to you some spiritual gift so that you may be Established right now imagine Paul says I want to come to you I want to preach teach serve among you that you may be established in the faith Much of the New Testament hasn't been written yet This is largely a gentile congregation in Rome. We'll hear more about that later There are genuine believers there those believers are genuinely converted verse 8 their faith is spoken of throughout the whole world But they've not been established in the faith by apostolic preaching apostolic teaching They need the New Testament. They need new covenant teaching and preaching. They need instruction They need to be established. They need Paul to come they need Paul to come So Paul has desired Paul is determined to go to Rome now Paul has heard of them But Paul doesn't know them They certainly the church at Rome has obviously heard of Paul But the church at Rome those people have never met Paul nor do they know Paul and so how does the apostle Paul then? choose Determine to introduce his himself to these dear people. How does Paul choose to introduce himself verse 1? Paul a bond servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle Separated to the gospel of God. That's Paul's introduction the notice the three Descriptions that Paul uses there for himself in verse 1. We're gonna consider each of these three descriptions individually one Paul is a bond servant of Jesus Christ to he is called to be an apostle and Three he is separated to the gospel of God a bond servant called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God and notice first Paul chooses to describe himself He determines to describe himself to introduce himself as a bond servant of the Lord Jesus Christ The Greek word is doulas and it means slave it means slave Paul a slave of Jesus Christ so now think with me and imagine right think what Paul has already said about himself Paul Circumcised on the eighth day stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of Hebrews Concerning the law of Pharisee concerning zeal once persecuting the church now an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ Concerning righteousness which is in the law Paul would have considered himself wants to be blameless a Roman citizen now Paul a Bond servant a slave of Jesus Christ Paul would have gotten a Greek education at Tarsus Paul would have gotten the best of Hebrew educations at the feet of Gamaliel in Jerusalem and Now Paul a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ There was much that Paul could have boasted in much that Paul could have gloried in much that Paul could have mentioned in his introduction to This dear church in Rome Much that it could have bolstered his reputation in the eyes of this church in second Corinthians chapter 12 verse 1 Paul says I've come to visions Revelations of the Lord. I was caught up into the third heaven in a paradise hurt inexpressible words words which is not not lawful for men to utter I've seen the resurrected Christ Paul could have said Signs and wonders done through my hands Paul might have said the same spirit who worked effectively in peace Later for the Apostleship to the uncircumcised or to the circumcised Paul says has also worked effectively in me Toward the Gentiles Paul could have said I planted churches all over the Mediterranean I Paul could have said I am a somebody In the eyes of this world maybe that's not where Paul begins Have you noticed that those things that this world would often commend are those very things that are despised by God He who glories let him glory in the Lord Paul says I am a slave of Jesus Christ It's not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends. Amen Paul says in Philippians chapter 3 verse 7 all these things that were gained to me all these things that I once Considered gained to me these I have counted loss Rubbish for Christ yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord For whom I have suffered the loss of all these things and count them as Rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him Paul says I am a slave It was in this way This way that Paul deliberately deliberately chose to introduce himself the notice the use of this word slave communicates both association and attitude it communicates both association and attitude first Paul uses the word to refer to an association the word slave Describes Paul's relationship to the one who had become the very center the very some the very substance of Paul's life This is how Paul thought of himself in Relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. That's very instructive. We need to understand that from Paul. This is how Paul thought of himself in Relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ This is how Paul thought of himself and this is how Paul wanted others to think of him He uses this in the introduction to his letter to the church at Rome Paul wanted them to think of himself as holy Entirely completely possessed or owned by a master That's what Paul is wanting us to see in his use of this term Paul Belonged to Jesus Christ his life His actions his activities his conduct his speech his worship His thoughts his mind his heart shaped by the will of another namely the Lord Jesus Christ Martyn Lloyd-Jones Said that Paul's whole being Revolved around this person and he could not think of himself apart from him That is awesome That is glorious and brothers and sisters. That's how we should think of ourselves We should not contemplate anything about ourselves apart from him apart from the Lord Jesus Christ We are not our own. We've been bought at a price. I am Christ's slave Right. He is mine. I am his he has bought me. He owns me. I am a slave. Do you see? And I'm a slave to Jesus Christ Jesus Emphasizing the Lord's humanity the human being who lived on this earth a man Fully man fully God God in the flesh the human being the baby who was born in a manger The boy who grew in stature in favor with both men and God the man who was the carpenter who lived breathed slept laughed cried and died on Calvary and Christ Christ us the anointed one of God speaking of the Lord's Mediatorial office Christ the anointed one of God to be prophet Priest and king to his people the promised Messiah the very son of the living God the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world Jesus Christ Paul says My Relationship to Jesus Christ is one of a slave to his master the critical To our understanding of Paul's use of this word slave is the concept of ownership You can't escape that connection that implication Critical to our understanding of Paul's use of this word slave is the concept of ownership the grammar of the text shows possession It's a genitive of possession Paul is a slave Belonging to Jesus Christ not just Paul's labor not just Paul's work not just Paul's mission but Paul's person is owned by possessed by Jesus Christ now this ownership Associated with slavery this ownership took place in four basic ways in the first century there were four basic ways in which someone could be a slave right one You could be a slave through birth. You could be born into Slavery if your parents were in slavery you were born to your parents you were born into slavery Secondly you could sell yourself into slavery you had debts to pay you couldn't pay them you could sell yourself into slavery Third there were slaves that were captured They were taken prisoner and fourth slaves were purchased. They were purchased into slavery now first Someone may have become us may have become a slave by birth The metaphor of becoming a slave by birth is at once helpful for understanding Paul's conception of the Christian life We become slaves through new birth in him, right? All people all people are born slaves. Do you realize that you recognize that you and I were born slaves You know, I were born slaves of sin You're a slave of sin born as slaves of our father the devil All people are born in servitude to sin Romans chapter 6 verse 22 Describes the believer then the believer as one who has been set free From slavery to sin having become then a slave of God. Do you see the transfer of ownership? Born anew in Jesus Christ you become a slave of God a slave of righteousness Out of bondage out of slavery to sin you go from one form of slavery to another Form of slavery now those two things are on such opposite poles will discuss the difference in a moment One horrendous one that leads to destruction one that leads to death the other leads to glory and life everlasting So those two things are on opposite ends of the spectrum, but it is a transfer of slavery nonetheless First Corinthians chapter 7 verse 22 He who is called that word called there speaks to the new birth regeneration It's the calling of God upon the life of a new believer He who is called while free Is christ slave Shows divine action shows divine work in the life of a believer So one someone may have become a slave by birth Secondly someone may sell themselves into slavery in this case. It shows human action There's a willingness on the part of a person to give themselves voluntarily to slavery human involvement is involved here the believer is to be Active in this the believer is to present as paul would say later Present their members as slaves to righteousness. You think about that text in romans chapter 6 In verse 16 is active listen to verse 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey To whom you present yourselves slaves to obey you are that one's slaves whom you obey Whether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness In other words the believers slavery to jesus christ The believers slavery to righteousness could well be described as voluntary A willful act on the part of the believer to enslave themselves to present their members as instruments of righteousness third Someone could be captured and made a slave captured This would have been very commonly understood in rom in the first century roman victories on the battlefield ensured that thousands Would have been taken captive and brought into the slave markets of rome thousands would have been taken prisoner paul Joyfully refers to himself. He revels in referring to himself to himself as a prisoner of christ jesus He does so in aphesians chapter 3 verse 1 calls himself a prisoner of jesus christ He is a prisoner of jesus christ in philemon verse 9 He's a prisoner of the lord in second timothy chapter 1 verse 8 paul rejoiced to consider himself a prisoner of the lord jesus christ that paul Describes himself as a man Who's been taken captive He's been captured Taken prisoner so to speak By jesus christ listen to flippings chapter 3 in verse 12 listen Paul says not that i have already attained Or am already perfected But paul says i press on So that i may lay hold katholambano. It's a to seize with force i Lay hold of that for which christ jesus has also Layed hold paul says of me jesus christ laid hold of him Took him captured him Is referring to paul's own conversion, isn't it like if you read acts chapter 9 and paul's testimony of his own conversion You see that's exactly Exactly what happened to paul on the road to demascus paul says that jesus christ laid hold of him seized him right jesus arrested him He took paul into his possession paul was on the road to demascus Bible says that he was continuing to breed out threats And murder against the disciples of the lord And the lord knocked paul off his horse And took possession of him right that's what the word means Seized him and then what did paul do what was paul's response paul trembling and Astonished Astonished paul said lord. What do you want me to do? That's the response of a slave to his master isn't it lord. What do you want me to do lord? What do you want me to do? jesus christ seized him paul Is now his slave. He belongs to jesus christ now. He belongs to jesus christ So a slave may become a slave by birth a slave may have sold themselves into slavery A slave may be captured But the most common way number four that someone became a slave in the first century was through the payment of a purchase price Was through the payment of a price In reference to the metaphor of slavery in the new testament for the christian life The most common word used for this payment of a price is the word redemption Agoradzo is the term it's a commercial word. It's a word Taken out of the marketplace right referring to a payment made for property A payment made in the market Those worshiping the lord in revelation chapter five saying a new song of praise to jesus christ saying this listen You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals For you jesus christ were slain and have redeemed us agoradzo purchased us to god by your blood the payment of a price Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation Do you see first chrithians chapter six verse 19 paul asks the chrithian believers. Do you not know That your body is the temple of the holy spirit who is in you whom you have from god Do you not know that you are not your own? In other words, there's been a transfer of ownership. There's been a transfer of ownership paul says for you were bought At a price you were redeemed Therefore glorify god in your body and in your spirit, which are gods Which are gods it speaks of possession Speaks of ownership Critical to our understanding of paul's use of this word slave is the concept of ownership The word slave Is the word chosen by paul To communicate his association with the lord jesus christ. Do you see paul is saying in his use of this word listen That jesus christ went into the agora the marketplace Where paul was enslaved to his sin and jesus christ agoradzo he redeemed He purchased the apostle paul out of the slave market of sin jesus christ shed his own blood He gave his own life He delivered up his body in death to purchase to pay the price to redeem the apostle paul His he gave his own life. You see a ransom for many He purchased paul out of the slave market of sin. He redeemed paul for himself now paul his own prized possession And what is true of paul brothers and sisters is true of you and i It's also true of you and i if you've been redeemed Purchased bought by the blood of the lamb. You are no longer your own You've been bought with a price. You are his now. Do you see An a word that could be used to rightly describe your association to the lord jesus christ now is slave is slave Peter says first peter chapter one verse 18 We were not redeemed. We weren't bought. We weren't purchased With corruptible things like silver or gold From your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers But we were purchased with the precious blood of christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot Therefore paul says thinking of this word and using this word communicating his association to the lord jesus christ paul says i'm not free I'm not free. I have been bought By jesus christ. I am his he is my master. He is my lord I paul says am a slave Now listen We don't accept jesus christ as savior and then later Make jesus christ lord What an absurd thought if you think about what's being communicated here. What an absurd and ridiculous thought that is He is Lord and the moment that he calls you out of the slave market of your sin The moment that he pays that price for you. You are his do you see He is lord the moment that he purchases you out of the slave market of sin He is lord. He liberates you to Serve him now you think about that relationship in the christian life You are liberated From sin set free from bondage to sin To be slave to another You know it is this notion That is taught in so many churches today That you're saved And that you are Under the lordship of jesus christ and yet you can live however you want to live It's just an absurd ridiculous notion That you set your own agenda that you do Your own thing that you can live as you want to live and you can do as you Is an absurd idea When compared to scripture now the joy the glory of the christian life is that when jesus christ Purchases us out of the slave market of our sin. He gives us a new heart He renews our mind. He makes us a new creation and gives us new desires He puts his spirit within us and he causes us then to walk in his statutes and in his judgments and to keep his commandments And to do them right he gives us a hunger and a thirst for righteousness He gives us a fruit filled faith a wonder working grace And the very desire of our new heart in him is to obey him and to keep his commandments And the evidence of that is that his commandments are no longer burdensome right We once Walked according to the prince of the power of the air The spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience If you're in christ, you once walked as a slave of satan We now serve the lord christ being a slave or using that word slave to Communicate our association with the lord jesus christ our relationship to the lord jesus christ doesn't negate our status as sons Doesn't negate the glorious heritage that we have as airs with christ joint airs with him Doesn't negate that it's not an either or do you see it's a both and It's a both and paul Proclaims and we'll see in this letter paul gloriously proclaims our status as sons in the kingdom Right sons of our god at the same time that paul glories and revels in describing himself as a slave of jesus christ We'll talk about that more as we go I was witnessing to someone just the other day and The notion is in the conversation that Because we're all sinners we're all sinners And so no one can really live for jesus christ the issue really is just salvation and that we Go on living as best we can but we're all sinners and so we've got this excuse so to speak that all sin No, we become set free from Slavery to sin we become enslaved to service in service to the lord jesus christ Now secondly Secondly as much as paul's use of that word slave communicates something of our association to jesus christ paul's use of the word slave also communicates something of paul's attitude In serving jesus christ verse one paul a bond servant of jesus christ called to be an apostle Separated to the gospel of god the very fact That paul begins with this description Tells us that this wasn't a description that paul was ashamed of It wasn't something that he found distasteful about the christian life It wasn't something that he had to apologize for paul gloried in this truth paul reveled in it He exalted in it, right? It's the very first description that paul uses to introduce himself in the letter paul A slave and not just a slave a slave of jesus christ the metaphor that paul uses here Comes with none of that disgusting deplorable reprehensible abuse That characterizes the cruelty of slavery among men comes with none of that We serve a gracious and loving and patient and forgiving and merciful and loving master It wouldn't be the crack of a slave master's whip that would compel paul That's not the case paul's faithfulness paul's devotion would be fueled by love And not his own love mind you remember second crinthians chapter five verse 14 listen to paul's heart attitude Second crinthians chapter five verse 14 paul says the love of christ compels us It's christ's love for us that constrains me paul says Christ's love for me Compells me because we judge thus that if one died for all then all died And he died for all that those who live Should no longer live for themselves as a slave to sin as a slave to their lusts But for him as a slave to jesus christ who died for them and rose again paul isn't for a moment not one moment Begrudging his devotion to his master It's his love for me paul says that constrains me that compels me I can't paul says i can't do i can't be anything else. I can't go anywhere else I can't think any other way. I am a willing devoted Rejoicing slave his love compels me right i've been captured. He has won me I am his he is mine. I am a slave of jesus christ Turn with me to ax chapter 20 Acts chapter 20 and in ax chapter 20 paul is about to meet with the elders From emphasis from the church at emphasis In a place called miletus And paul describes his service there to the lord jesus christ And paul's joy keep in mind right paul Rejoices in this ministry paul revels in the fact that he has been given over In slavery to the lord jesus christ that he has been called to be an apostle Separated to the gospel of god look at ax chapter 20 and drop down to verse 17 From miletus verse 17 paul sent to emphasis and called for the elders of the church And when they had come to him he said to them you know from the first day that i came to asia in what manner I always lived among you now. He's going to call upon their witness Of his own life and ministry Brothers and sisters i would submit to you We need to be able to do the same thing right We need to be able to say to our brothers and sisters here. Listen, you know You know what manner i've lived among you i'm not perfect We sin in many ways we're going to offend one another there's going to be conflict to resolve There's going to be difficulties to resolve right we are human this side of eternity will always have sin to deal with but listen We need to be able to say you and i you know how i lived among you Right, we should be able to point to the testimony of our brothers and sisters and say you know what manner of life I've lived among you since the time i came here since the time i set out to serve the lord jesus christ Right, we need to live to have that kind of testimony He says verse 19 serving the lord with all humility His service to the lord jesus christ was a humble service With many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the jews His service was one that was persecuted Verse 20 how i kept back nothing that was helpful but proclaimed it to you His service was fully wholeheartedly Devoted he kept back nothing from them But he taught them publicly from house to house Verse 21 testifying to jews also to greeks repentance toward god faith toward our lord jesus christ and see Now i go bound in the spirit to jerusalem Not knowing the things that will happen to me there Except that the holy spirit testifies in every city saying That chains and tribulations await me notice how paul characterizes that in verse 22 i go bound To jerusalem bound in the spirit to jerusalem paul Was a slave of the lord jesus christ and where the lord directed paul went what the lord commanded paul to do paul did paul saw himself as a slave of jesus christ He goes bound now in the spirit to jerusalem knowing Knowing that chains that tribulations await him verse 24 But none of these things move me i'm not concerned with anything else there's nothing else that is important to me nor do i even count my own life dear to myself Even if it means my life I'm going to go why that i may finish my race with joy. What was paul's joy paul's joy Would be that he would finish his Slavery so to speak to the lord jesus christ in its fullness Obedient to the lord faithful to the lord faithful to his calling faithful to his ministry Until the very end when the lord calls him home and it would be paul's Joy to finish his race in that way to finish the race with joy in the ministry Which i receive from the lord jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of god What was he called to do he was called to preach the gospel And paul was going to finish his race with joy and It was paul's joy To serve the lord in that way even if it meant he gave his life In jerusalem. I don't even count my own life dear to myself. Do you see? That was paul's heart attitude heart attitude I have one aim paul would say one purpose one goal one end With the life that i've been given And that is to finish the ministry that i've been given by the lord jesus christ Only one life Will soon be passed It's only what's done for christ that will last you see Paul says i've been called to testify to the gospel of the grace of god Nothing more dear to him than this mission not even his own life I know that chains and tribulations await me, but i press on in joy to finish my race. There was no begrudging attitude toward paul's Association to the lord jesus christ. There was no begrudging despairing discouraged Woe is me apathetic indifference Cold calloused hard hardiness toward the commands of the lord jesus christ. This was paul's Joy, it was paul's joy to lay hold of that For which christ jesus had laid hold of him. Do you see? We see how paul Viewed his association to jesus christ. You see paul's heart attitude About that association all of that is communicated through the word the use of this word slave do-loss Let me ask you a question if you were going to sit to write a letter Would you could you use this word to identify to introduce or to describe yourself Would you would this be the word that would come to mind what word? Would best describe you What word would best characterize The nature the experience of your christian life what word Would you choose? What word would others use to describe you? What would someone else say? Well that guy that he's a patriot loves this country It's not a bad thing If it eclipses Your devotion to the lord jesus christ it is idolatry Well, he's a great student that one very professional Yeah, he's going places that one Good businessman really smart Knows how to run a business Wonderful husband Loving devoted wife None of those things bad in and of themselves But when they eclipse Our identity who we are in jesus christ they are idolatrous Would this word do-loss with this word slave make the top of the list? In describing you what word would you use would you start with paul and say i am a slave Of jesus christ my lord If we would right if we would but lay hold Of this Truth lay hold of that for which jesus christ has laid hold of you and i if you profess to be in christ Then jesus christ has taken possession of you You were bought at a price You weren't redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold You were redeemed with the precious blood of the lord jesus christ jesus christ has taken possession of you You're not your own He has laid hold of you and if you and i would but lay hold of that For which jesus christ has laid hold of us Then it would transform the way that We think about the christian life It would transform the way that you think the way that you believe the way that you live The way that you obey the way that you worship the way that you pray the way that you read The way that you organize and structure your time The way that you spend your money The things that you do Right the people you're involved with It would impact your zeal wouldn't it? How it impact on your fervor your earnestness Your desire your willingness Your thoughts about obedience We are not our own brothers and sisters. We've been bought at a price We are so quick aren't we to enslave ourselves to the empty pleasures the empty pursuits of this world easily freely often going after them And none of those things bring lasting joy none of those things bring lasting peace this life is fleeting It is passing away And what will last is that which is done for christ that which is done Bearing fruit to eternity fruit to holiness and in the end everlasting life Lasting joy lasting hope peace glory is found In being entirely possessed by another Your entire life my entire life directed shaped controlled Compelled constrained by the one who bought me with his own blood or As you sit here this morning Would you characterize yourself as a slave to sin? Would you think of yourself as a slave to sin? You are a slave Of that there is no doubt You are In slavery you are a slave Whose slave are you? That's the question Kids listen to me Young man young girl listen to me often kids think to themselves. I can't wait to be free Be free from mom and dad free from these rules. Why can't I do and why can't I do that? Why can't I go and Always telling me what to do and controlling me and listen You Believe that you desire freedom from mom and dad But your desire for what you think is freedom is actually enslavement to your sin You are a slave And the freedom From that responsibility freedom From that accountability that you think that you crave is actually enslavement to your lusts enslavement to your sin You're always a slave Always a slave Are you in bondage to anger? Are you in bondage to bitterness? Are you in bondage to physical lusts? What is it that most consumes your thoughts? What is it that most consumes your interests your time your energy? Whose slave are you? Are you enslaved to the cares of this world? Matthew chapter 6 verse 24 the lord says no one can serve two masters For either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other You cannot serve god and mammon And someone who says well, you know i'm enslaved to my physical lusts over here But I don't hate the lord jesus christ. No your enslavement to your physical lusts is an evidence that you hate the lord jesus christ You cannot serve two masters You'll love one and despise the other Are you enslaved to man's approval? Are you a or are you a slave to god's approval? Galatians chapter 1 verse 10 paul says for do I now persuade men or god? Do I seek to please men for if I still pleased men? I would not be a slave a bond servant of jesus christ paul would later say in galatians chapter 5 verse 13 for you brethren brethren you've been called to liberty freedom Only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh But through love serve the word is dual you oh dual you oh It means to give a slave's service to It means to serve as a slave through love Serve as a slave one another For all the laws fulfilled in one word even this you shall love your neighbor as yourself You see slavery in the christian life and the way that paul describes it is freedom from slavery And at the very time slavery in the christian life is freedom for slavery Freedom from slavery and freedom for slavery. It's a bit of a paradoxical Just like strength through weakness This is freedom for slavery We find this set side by side in romans chapter 6 turn over to romans chapter 6 with me And look there beginning in verse 15 romans chapter 6 verse 15 paul Sits these two concepts freedom from slavery freedom for slavery. He sets them side by side romans chapter 6 beginning in verse 15 What then paul asks shall we sin? Because we are not under law, but under grace May it never be certainly not right similar to verse 1 look at verse 1 What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound similar question, isn't it certainly not by no means How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? in other words does grace does the grace of god accommodate the believer sin God's forgiven me god has saved me so i can live however i want to live now that wouldn't necessarily come out of a person's mouth But by their actions their actions speak louder than their words By their actions they're professing that very thing right they live however they want to live And it doesn't matter because god has shown me grace paul would say by no means may it never be certainly not You have ceased being a slave to sin now you are a slave to god look at verse 16 Do you not know do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey You are that one slaves whom you obey whether of sin leading to death Or of obedience leading to righteousness two camps two forms of slavery two ends in mind. It's either Sin leading to death leading to destruction leading to hell Or of obedience leading to righteousness verse 17 But god be thanked that though you were slaves of sin Yet you obeyed From the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered and having been set free from sin You became slaves to righteousness now. This isn't preaching paul is not preaching A salvation by works paul is preaching a salvation that works It's a salvation that works having been set free from sin transferred out from under slavery to sin Set free from the power of sin You've become now slaves of righteousness one of the Key indicators the key marks of conversion in the life of a christian is their Desire heart soul mind and strength to serve the lord jesus christ to be holy to put off sin and to put on Righteousness that's a genuine that's a mark of genuine conversion um as soon as a person is genuinely saved A war begins as a result of that my desire is holiness My desire is to live for him and yet i see this other principle this other we're gonna see that in roman 7 Right this other principle in my members that now wages war against the law of my mind And i Am afflicted over sin now as a result. I don't do the things that i want to do I do the things that i don't want to do You become a slave of righteousness. You don't turn away from that paul says verse 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness So now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness Transfer from one form of slavery to another form of slavery For when you were slaves of sin You were free in regard to righteousness You didn't have this compelling interest this hunger and thirst for righteousness this drive From god's spirit Driving you to obey you didn't have that you were free in regard to righteousness What fruit did you have then? In the things of which you are now ashamed the end of those things is death Verse 22 but now having been set free from sin set free from sin as a ruling power as a reigning power in your life Having been set free from sin and having become slaves of god You have your fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life The wages of sin is death, but the gift of god is eternal life in christ jesus our lord Freedom from sin does not give you the freedom to sin Freedom from sin brings an obligation to turn from sin. Do you see? The theme of the passage is a contrast between two forms of slavery You are a slave of one or you are a slave of the other The old slavery to sin from which the believers from which believers have been set free And new slavery to righteousness to which believers have been delivered To which believers are now under obligation to commit themselves With the heart attitude of paul First john chapter five verse three For this is the love of god that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome It's amazing today, right that you even reading a verse like that from the pages of scripture itself And many will rise up in objection. That's legalism You're talking about the apostle john Who said those words but as soon as you mentioned obedience in the christian life And the unconverted natural heart Bristles against it. Why because they're a slave to sin And not a slave of righteousness the christian with a new heart in christ cries out in rejoicing. Thank you lord Help me I need strength. I need help deliver me from the presence of sin lord now, please Paul's instruction in roman 6 is because believers need to be reminded of this brothers and sisters. We too often shamefully We forget we need to be reminded of these things constantly We need to be reminded of who we belong to You can't do anything you want with your body You can't do anything you want with your time with your resources there are things that We desire in the flesh that are not good that are sinful We need to Obey the lord in those things that we desire With our mind agreeing with the law of god that it's holy just and good I mean you'd obey the lord as slaves of righteousness You're no longer your own. You were bought with an unimaginably high price He paid for you with his own blood his own life Here's a man roman's chapter one verse one Who could have begun his introduction in so many different places in so many different ways saying so many different things But where did he start paul? A slave of jesus christ. We need to understand who we really are amen Amen all praise honor glory and blessing to him who has bought us with his blood Let's pray Take a few moments now and pray silently to the lord And consider your own relationship with the lord jesus christ and how he might describe you And let's pray for the lord's help in being good slaves of his let's pray Father in heaven i pray that now you would you would glorify the name of our lord jesus christ in prospering your word In our hearts and minds and the hearts of minds of your saints building them up in their faith Helping us lord to understand Who we belong to and What we have been saved to And lord i would pray that you would glorify your son in the salvation of sinners Reaching Into the slave market Of sin and redeeming them purchasing them out of bondage for your own glory as slaves of god And that jesus christ would receive the full reward of his suffering And you would be honored in all things and We pray lord that we would live as rejoicing willing loving devoted worshiping slaves Not losing sight of our inheritance as sons But rejoicing that we have been called into service to preach the gospel and to serve you and the cause of the gospel For your namesake for the sake of our lord jesus christ and whose name we pray amen